Paper fastener



Dec. 5, 1939. O R955 v 2,182,658

PAPER FASTENER Original Filed June 26, 1933 'lNVENTOR Patented Dec. 5, 1939 umrso STATES PATENT OFFECE Original application June 26, 1933, Serial No. 677,574, new Patent No. 2,037,270, dated April 15 Claims.

This application forms a divisional application of my patent No. 2,037,270, granted, April 14th, 1936, and relates to paper fasteners having a base member and a keeper or top plate having perforations through which the fingers of the base member pass and are bent relatively thereto for binding a stack of papers such as correspondence.

The invention relates more particularly to a base member wherein the fingers are sheared or stamped from the base portion between the fingers in a manner to provide a bridge portion or reenforcement across the midportion of the base, the bridge portion having a reenforcement forming a continuation of a reenforcement extending around the base.

The invention further comprehends the forming of clamping projections of peculiar form for securing the base member to a binder or folder in which the papers are located for protection.

The more full advantages of the invention will be understood as the description thereof progresses and the patentable matter herein will be pointed out in the claims, it being understood that minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing wherein several embodiments of the invention are disclosed and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention, after being applied to a folder or cover, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 prior to bending the fingers upwardly for use, and Fig. 3 is another perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 4 is a part sectional view of a clamping member taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, base member 40, is preferably formed from strip metal and comprises base portion ii from the body of which are sheared or stamped fingers 42-42, said fingers during the stamping operation, being raised slightly above the base portion ii whereby the edge of a keeper or another clamping member may be inserted therebetween for more readily bending said fingers upwardly to their useful position, at the same time maintaining a comparatively low height article for package purposes as shown in Fig. 2, and bent upwardly fully as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, when the base member is required for use in combination with a keeper, as shown in my parent application of which this application is a division. Theends 43 of fingers Divided and this application April 13, 1936, Serial No. 73,987.

Renewed October 26,

42 are punched spacedly to form a bridge portion M acting to rigidify said base portion 4|. Said bridge portion M is also formed with a reenforcing ridge or rib ll for further rigidification of said base member 4|.

Said base portion M is also formed with end portions lla-Ma extending outwardly beyond the fingers d2 in which are formed transverse reeniorcements or ribs 4fii0 said ribs being joined to the longitudinal reenforcements or ribs 4t i5 formed adjacent the edges of said base portion thereby forming a continuous reenforcement extending around the entire base member 45 adjacent the edges thereof, in this manner making a comparatively rigid structure although the weight of said base member has been materially reduced by punching the fingers from the body thereof.

During the stamping operation for forming base member 40, folder clamping projections, tongues or extensions 49 are also formed from the body of fingers 42 at the juncture thereof with the base portion 4|. Said clamping projections are formed initially as shown in Fig. 2, and will bend upwardly to approximately 45 as the fingers 42 are bent upwardly to the 90 position I for use. Said clamping projections 59 are inserted through the same opening in the folder or binder into which the fingers 42 are inserted thereafter being bent downwardly to a plane parallel to the base portion 4! for locking the base member 40 in said folder or binder as more fully disclosed in my Patent No. 2,003,554, issued June 4th, 1935, the base portion 4! underlying a cover of said folder or binder, and the clamping projections 49 overlying said cover, in this manner securely clamping the base member 40 to said folder or binder.

Fingers 42 and clamping projections 49 are formed with one or more corrugations at the fixed ends thereof for more readily bending thereof when applying said base or clamping member to a folder or binder, and for more ready bending of said fingers during the filing of the first papers in the paper fastener wherein said base member is employed. Whereas clamping projections Mi are shown as being bent inwardly of fingers 42, they may be bent outwardly there if desired, as would be the case if said clamping projections were formed in the body of fingers of base members of the form disclosed in said Patent 2,003,554, and wherein the fingers are initially bent at an oblique angle for more ready packaging or stacking. The bending of the fingers to the 90 position for use will leave said clamping projections at the 45 position to permit their entry with the fingers as they are inserted through the perforation of the folder or binder whereafter said clamping projections may be bent downwardly against the cover of said binder or folder for locking the base member thereonto.

Fingers 42 are also preferably formed with positive stop looking projections 60 of semicylindrical form having a semi-spherical end 60a facing the free end 43 of said fingers, said projections being stamped from the body of 'said finger, the inner edge thereof being sheared to form a positive stop 6| substantially at right angles to the plane of the body of said fingers. Said locking projections cooperate with the sliding locks 66 on the keeper 63 associated with the clamping member 40 and the positive stops 6| positively prevent said looks from sliding off the ends of said fingers after they are bent downwardly over said keeper. However the cylindrical form of said locking projections having the semispherical ends 60a facing the ends of said fingers, form yielding stops and permit more ready sliding of said locks over the ends of said fingers for the locking thereof. In other words the locks yieldingly slide over said projections fill-onto said fingers but are positively locked against being slid therefrom and can only be moved off from said fingers by first depressing said fingers sufficiently to permit said slides or looks to pass over said locking projections, the stop faces 6! acting to normally positively prevent said slides or looks from accidental removal from said fingers.

Referring to Fig. 3, clamping or base member 50 is similar to clamping or base member 40, however the bridge portions 44 of the latter have been omitted. Also the folder clamping projections 59 are formed from the body of the base portion 5! beyond the fingers, the fixed end of said clamping projections being adjacent the fixed end of said fingers, said projections being arranged to be bent downwardly for securing the base member to the cover of the binder or folder to which said base member is attached for use. The base portion 5! is formed with longitudinal reinforcing ribs 56-56 for the reenforcement thereof. The fingers 52 are preferably also formed with corrugations $5 at the base thereof for more ready bending when said fingers are bent to vertical position for use. Keeper 63 which may be employed with any of the base members shown, comprises plate 6 having perforations 65 through which the fingers pass. Locks 66 are slidable on said keeper plate and after said fin-' gers are bent downwardly over said keeper, said locks are slid thereover, the rounded ends 83 of said fingers readily permitting said locks to be slid onto said fingers over locking projections 60, the abrupt or sheared end 6! of which positively prevent said locks being slid off from said fingers until said fingers are depressed against the keeper plate 64 for the purpose of so doing.

What I claim is:

1. In a base member for paper fasteners, an elongated sheet metal base, a pair of inwardly facing fingers formed from the base body spacedly between the edges thereof and spacedly between the ends thereof, longitudinal reenforcing portions formed in the base adjacent the longitudinal edges thereof, other reenforcing portions extending transversely of the base portions beyond the fingers, the longitudinal and transverse reenforcing portions being joined together to form a continuous re'enforcement surrounding the fingers, and locking projections on each end portion of the base member arranged to be bent for securing said member to a binder or folder.

2. In a base member for paper fasteners, an

elongated sheet metal base, a pair of inwardly facing fingers formed from the body of the base spacedly between the edges thereof, the free ends of the fingers being formed spacedly one from the other to form a bridge portion on said base between the openings formed by depressing said fingers therefrom, a continuous reenforcing portion formed on the base adjacent the margins thereof, a reenforcing portion extending transversely of said base on said bridge portion having the ends thereof joined to the ends of said continuous reenforcing portion, and locking projections on each end portion of the base member arranged to be bent for securing said member to a folder or binder.

3. In a paper fastener to be secured to a perforated binder for holding paper sheets therein, a base member having a base portion for engaging said binder, fingers at each end of said base portion for entering said binder perforations, clamping projections formed from the body of said fingers adjacent the juncture thereof with said base portion for entering said perforations and thereafter bent against said binder for securing said base member thereto, and a keeper having perforations through which said fingers also enter and are thereafter bent for binding said paper sheets in said binder.

4. In a paper fastener to be secured to a perforated binder for holding paper sheets therein, a base member having a base portion for engaging said binder, fingers at each end of said base portion for entering said binder perforations, clamping projections formed from the body of said fingers adjacent the juncture thereof with said base portion for entering said perforations and thereafter bent against said binder for securing said base member thereto, a keeper having perforations through which said fingers also enter and are thereafter bent for binding said paper sheets in said binder, and locks slidable on said keeper over said fingers when in bent position. I

5. In a paper fastener to be secured to a perforated binder for holding paper sheets therein, a base member having a base portion for engaging said binder, fingers at each end of said base portion for entering said, binder perforations, clamping projections formed from the body of said fingers adjacent the juncture thereof With said base portion for also entering said perforations and thereafter bent against said binder for securing said base member thereto, a keeper having perforations through which said fingers also enter and are thereafter bent for binding said paper sheets in said binder, locks slidable on said keeper over said fingers when in bent position, and locking means on said fingers normally preventing said looks from being slid therefrom.

6. In a paper fastener to be secured to a perforated binder for holding paper sheets therein, a base member having an elongated base portion for engaging said binder, fingers formed on said base member inwardly of the ends of said base portion for entering said binder perforations, clamping projections formed from said base portion positioned between said fingers and the ends of said base portion arranged to be bent against said binder for securing said base member there- 75 to, and a keeper having openings through which said fingers enter and are thereafter bent thereover for binding said paper sheets in said binder.

7. In a paper fastener to be secured to a perforated binder for holding paper sheets therein, a base member having an elongated base portion for engaging said binder, fingers formed on said base member inwardly of the ends of said base portion f or entering said binder perforations, clamping projections formed from said base portion arranged to enter said perforations and be bent against said binder for securing said base member thereto, and a keeper having openings through which said fingers enter and are thereafter bent thereover for binding said paper sheets in said binder.

8. In a paper fastener to be secured to a perforated binder for holding paper sheets therein, a base member having an elongated base portion for engaging said binder, fingers at each end of said base portion for entering said binder perforations, a keeper having openings through which said fingers also enter and then are bent thereover for binding said paper sheets in said binder, locks slidable on said keeper over said bent fingers, locking projections adjacent the ends of said fingers for normally preventing said looks from being slid therefrom, and clamping projections on said base member arranged to enter said perforations and be bent against said binder for securing said base member thereto.

9. In a paper fastener to be secured to a perforated binder for holding paper sheets therein,

a base member having an elongated base portion for engaging said binder, fingers formed on said base member inwardly of the ends of said base portion for entering said binder perforations, clamping projections on said base member between said fingers and the ends of said base portion, arranged to be bent for securing said base member to said binder, a keeper having openings through which said fingers also enter and are thereafter bent thereover for bindin said papers in said binder, locks slidable on said keeper over said fingers, and locking projections adjacent the ends of said fingers for normally preventing said locks from. being slid therefrom.

10. In a paper fastener to be secured to a perforated binder for holding paper sheets therein, a base member having an elongated sheet metal base, a pair of inwardly facing fingers formed from the body of said base spacedly between the edges and. spacedly between the ends thereof, said fingers being arranged to enter said binder perforations, clamping projections on said fingers adjacent the juncture thereof with said base arranged to be bent against said binder for securing said base member thereto, a keeper having openings through which said fingers also enter and thereafter are bent thereover for bind ing said paper sheets in said binder, locks slidable on said keeper over said bent fingers, and locking projections adjacent the free ends of said fingers for normally preventing said locks from being slid therefrom.

11. In a paper fastener to be secured to a perforated binder for holding paper sheets therein, a base member having an elongated base portion for engaging said binder, fingers at each end of said base portion for entering said binder perforations, a keeper having openings through which said fingers also pass and thereafter are bent thereover for binding said paper sheets in said binder, clamping projections onthe ends of said base portion arranged to also enter said perforations and be bent against said binder body for securing said base member thereto, said clamping projections extending outwardly beyond said fingers after being bent, and means on said keeper movable over said bent fingers for normally holding the same in said bent position.

12. In a paper fastener to be secured to a perforated binder for holding paper sheets therein, a base member having an elongated base portion for engaging said binder, fingers at each end of said base portion for entering said binder perforations, a keeper having openings through which said fingers also pass and thereafter are bent thereover for binding said paper sheets in said binder, clamping projections on the ends of said base portion arranged to also enter said perforations and be bent against said binder body for securing said base member thereto, and means on said keeper movable over said bent fingers for normally holding the same in said bent position.

13. In a paper fastener to be secured to a perforated binder for holding paper sheets therein. a base member having an elongated base portion for engaging said binder, fingers at each end of said base portion for entering said binder perforations, a keeper having openings through which said fingers also pass and thereafter are bent thereover for binding said paper sheets in said binder, clamping projections on the end of said base portion arranged to also enter said perforations and be bent against said binder body for securing said base member thereto, said clamping projections extending in a direction opposite to said bent fingers after bending said projections, and means on said keeper movable over said fingers for normally holding the same downwardly in said bent position.

14. In a base member for paper fasteners of the base and keeper type, an elongated sheet metal base, a pair of inwardly facing fingers formed from the body of said base spacedly between the edges and ends thereof, said fingers being positioned in a plane parallel to but spaced above the plane of said base for economical packaging and more ready preliminary bending of said fingers to the usable position after being removed from a package, and locking projections adjacent the free ends of said fingers to engage slidable locks on a correlated keeper for yieldingly permitting said locks to be slid over said fingers but positively prevent the sliding off said fingers.

15. In a paper fastener to be secured to a perforated binder for holding paper sheets therein, a clamping member having an elongated base portion for engaging said binder, fingers on each end portion of said base portion for entering the perforations in said binder, a keeper positioned by said fingers over which said fingers are bent for binding said paper sheets in said binder,

- and clamping projections on said clamping member joined to said base portion in the same transverse plane as the plane of juncture of said fingers thereon for entering the same perforations 1 in said binder as said fingers arranged to be bent against the body of said binder for locking said clamping member thereto.

OSCAR A. ROSS. 

